Take a mom of 3, stir in 4 vegan cookbooks, add a rounded cup of staying at home, and mix with a hefty pinch of recipe testing!

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

New Vegan Cookbook Details!

So, as I mentioned yesterday, I have a little bit of news about my new cookbook!

First, I want to express how valuable working on this blog has been to me. When I started 'blogging' in November, I had already finished some new recipes and was toying with the idea of a new book, but that was about it. As I've mentioned on occasion, my life is beyond hectic at times with two young kids (and no family really nearby for support/babysitting), and so it is just hubby and me working through our days with the girls (some of you are probably in the same boat).

Anyhow, despite my life being very busy, I feel very inspired and creative, and that has largely come from the feedback I get from all of you that comment, and also from reading about cooking adventures (and fun food tidbits) on some of your blogs. So, I THANK YOU, all of you, that comment from time to time (and those that e-mail) with words of appreciation, encouragement, and also feedback on what you like/don't like about my recipes and blog posts. Sincerely, this communication from all of you has given me the interest and excitement to work on this next book...

which will be titled: "Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan!"

The theme of the book iscelebratory! Vegan food is fun and fabulous, and is not about what we "cannot" have, but rather is about everything we do have!!

I will focus greatly on easy, fast foods - things like dips, spreads, casseroles, soups, stews, wraps, fast sandwiches, baked goods and pancakes (people seem to love pancakes), and yes, of course, what would the book be without desserts! As with most of my other recipes, these will again be based on legumes, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, some soy, and of course minimal amounts of refined flours and no refined sugars.

So, that's the brief for now!... I will be including some of the suggestions some of you mentioned yesterday - and thank you all for those great ideas!

The tentative publication date is late 2007, and I will update you more on the exact date as I iron out more details with my publisher!

Thanks, Jess! I like the title too - it just came to me one day, whereas the other books we poured over different titles to agree on one with my publisher! I've never actually seen the veggie tales, so it's funny that you say they're creepy - they look awfully cute - who knew?! :)

I'm so glad you liked the beans, sweet pea, and gee, thanks for that about the baking... I won't take all the credit - you're the one in there with the mixing bowl and spoon! :) It is very gratifying to know also that you find the baby/toddler section useful. It was very important for me to include it, because people think it is near impossible to feed babies on a vegan diet - NO, it's not!!! :) I like the layout of Vive a lot too - more than TEV - I will be aiming for a similar kind of layout with this one.

Thanks Julie!! Very much appreciate your support, as always. Oh, a question - I am very keen to buy a Vitamix now... so which model should I go for, any recommendations? I checked it out on amazon, and there are a few there... which do you have? Thanks!

I am SO excited about your new cookbook- but late 2007!!! How on earth can you make us wait that long! I also wanted to mention that now that I have both Vive and TEV I like the layout of Vive better- I find it more readable and easy to refer to.

I'm sure that all of the Vita Mix machines are great. I have their Professional Series, but I think the main difference is the colors that the machine comes in. Check out Costco too, because they do a Vita Mix roadshow periodically (or at least at some of the Costcos).

You will LOVE the machine! Especially with all of the recipe testing and development you have coming up.

Looking forward to it Dreena, we've enjoyed everything that I've cooked so far out of the previous 2 books, we're having another 'new to us' recipe tonight and I'm really looking forward to it!

I'm very excited about more casseroles and stuff like that. We're not big on pancakes or dips around here, or even deserts (which I think is a good thing, especially for Little One), but casseroles are so useful as I can chop, mix and stick things in a dish and in the oven and then deal with small child rather than having to watch everything all the time.

oh, just saw the mention of sweet potatoes/yams there in another comment. I saw yams for the first time ever in the supermarket the other week (of course I didn't need any!) and they are backwards to what you'd call them, yams are the big yellow ones and sweet potatoes the small orange ones in England. Just thought you'd like to know for reference!

Dreena, I love that title!It's awesome that you'd have wraps and fast sandwiches in it! Will this have more recipes than EV and VLV?

It's good that you remain inspired even with 2 little ones at home. I could relate, with 3 kids with me all day. But I've remained inspired to cook and bake, too- and honestly, big part of that is having your cookbook. So just keep the energy going!

Thanks, Tina, and yes, I agree, the layout for Vive is more 'readable' and eye-appealing!

Hi Patricia... will have to start using that - "yampatricia" - jk! Twin toddlers - OH dear!!! My 16 month old is enough work on her own toddling, and with our 4 1/2 year old helping me at times - still so much to keep up with, I can't even fathom twin toddlers! Zoinks! I need to get meals together fast too, so these recipes will primarily be everyday easy kind of stuff!

Julie, you have no idea how much I have been thinking about a Vitamix now, and how much I could use it! Thanks for the Costco tip, I'll look into it! :)

Jess, what's really sad is that I didn't notice the grammar blip. You see, I have what you call permanent 'mommy brain'. Yes, somedays I find my green onions in the drawer with the saran wrap instead of in the fridge drawer. That's not uncommon around here. So, if my ramblings don't make sense, you know why!

Hi Anna! Oh, how I relate to having a casserole do the work for you!! It's the easiest thing to get everything in a pot or dish and then leave it to cook. I think that's why I love to make soups so much too. Once you have the prepping done, the stove does the rest of the work really. You might be the first to tell me you're not big on pancakes, dips, or desserts... but, very good to know (and yes, really, you are MUCH better off if you don't have the sweet tooth)! Thanks for the feedback. The yam/sweet potato reference drives me batty, because there is no way to standardize it in recipes. I will just have to explain in my new recipes which ones I'm using ex: yams as "the orange flesh tubers". We always see the orange ones labelled yams here (garnet yams and jewel yams) and then sweet potatoes are the yellow ones. But, I know it varies everywhere - thanks for letting me know (I think! - ha!)

Hi Harmonia, I made a dip yesterday but it had too much garlic in it for my taste. I thought "Harmonia would probably love it like this - or, she'd add more garlic"! I've been beyond busy too, not much time popping into others' blogs - hopefully today!

I'm so looking forward to the new cookbook. Celebration foods that are also reasonably healthy sounds wonderful. Feeding my family & friends is an act of love, and it's so nice to be able to do that and not feel that I'm also doing them damage.

BTW, I missed the Vitamix conversation, but I love mine. Would buy it again in a heartbeat.

Dreena, this is wonderful! I love the new title to your book, and the whole "theme" around it. I am super-excited to have my third favorite cookbook (1:Vive, 2:TEV, in no particular order, of course).

Thank YOU for your kind words and it makes me feel good that you have been inspired by us all and we have bugged you enough about recipes, photos and new cookbook details that "Eat, Drink and Be Vegan" is coming about! Thank you so much for sharing this with us all and I am antsy already for the book!

Now you for sure have to take my idea about a dinner party/food party/potluck ideas since the theme is "celebratory"!!!

Hi Kai, how in the world do you do it with 3 kids??!! I don't know if I'd get a meal on the table! :) That is so nice for you to say that you feel inspired partially because of my recipes... too kind, thanks! Funny about the Veggie Tales - I have never seen it, I just liked the 'thank you' icon in veggie cartoon style, so I popped it on there, and of course, now I'm wondering what I'm missing! :)

Thanks Michelle!

Thanks Sue H... I've noticed at potlucks and places where people don't know my dip or other food is "vegan", they just lap it up and say "mmmm, what is this"? Yes, healthy stuff can be delicious stuff too!! (and even the not-so healthy vegan stuff - cookies, etc - aren't as bad as most of their dairy/egg based equivalents). Thanks for the note about the Vitamix too!

Ah, thank you Leslie. So terribly sweet of you (as always). I should have a direct line to you on days I need a 'pep talk'!! :) Hmmm, maybe I should have a 'no oven required' section. I hope you get through your fears of the oven soon - there are some things you just want/need it for! I may take you up on that offer of recipe testing - stovetop stuff or dips (for now) of course! Yeah, I think the layout of Vive is what I'm going to strive for again (if not do almost the same with a few adjustments)!

Hi again Kai... your comment posted on just after I posted my responses - that happens with blogger sometimes. Anyhow, I'm not sure about the recipe count at this point. But, it will be recipe heavy (not having a baby/toddler section this time), and I hope to have 100+ recipes. Having said that, I'd better get back to work! (oh, and I'll keep the testing offer in mind too, thanks) :)

I love the NO OVEN SECTION of the book. There are so many recipes that are no bake (stovetop only) so it may be hard to make a section with only that, but maybe you could do one with something that "could" or "usually" is baked, and have it not baked!

I am getting tired of not baking, I just need to call my PHX firefighter friend and have him stand guard while I bake again (I am not really going to do this...). Do you think the oven will produce a funny gas or smell because it's been months? I have wanted to try the Sunflower Lentil loaf since the day I got the books in the mail (a few months ago).

I think you were joking about the "direct line" thing, but I am pretty sure you have my email... if you don't and you want it, let me know.

Thanks Cee... it seems like a long time away, but yikes - not a long time for me!! :)

You're so amusing Leslie... but, I know it isn't funny for you with your oven. The oven *might* give off a funny smell at first. Just like when you turn on your heat for the first time after months of not using it in the summer. (well, you probably don't have that happen in Arizona!) Hmm, start with something real fast to bake - like cookies, at a low temp. That might 'ease' you back into using that dreaded oven!

I made the comment about getting frustrated at long or unfamilar titles, but in no way was I saying yours were like that, in fact your books I found to be very simple. I made your apple strudel (sp?) which my children and I had for dessert and my 10 year old said, "finally something that taste good" Because like most Vegetarians/Vegans, I am always cooking and trying out new things, but when you asked feedback It was like you were reading my mind.

I like coming to your site and expecially like it because you are from canada. Thank you for all your hard work because believe it or not it makes our life much easier.

Thanks, Julie... you'll have to let me know what recipes intrigue you with TEV - I may do one or two for posting!

Thanks dreamqueen - I'll mark you down as 'tester' if needed! Awesome!

Hi Kim - you know, I really appreciated your feedback - even if I misunderstood it (how MANY mommy brain moments am I having this week?!!) :) You see, within a day or two of reading your comment I came across a new review of TEV. It was very positive (always nice!), but the one negative thing she said was "like almost every person who's written a cookbook, Burton uses atrocisouly bad puns and rhymes for titles - ex: the neat balls with sweet and sour balls taste great, but sound almost as stupid as swallow-it-all banana balls". I laughed and said "that's true". Funny, my nephew named the banana balls when he was just about 7 or 8, and I thought it was adorable, but really, it IS a bad name, and 'neat' balls is goofy too! I would change a lot of titles now in TEV, and some in Vive too - and even though that's not what you meant, it (and the review) got me to thinking about how to be more concise and clear with title names. Also, while I'm no different than any of us in that I enjoy hearing warm and fuzzy feedback, I *need* the more constructive criticism to help me fine tune my recipes, my instructions, flavors people like, layout of books, etc. So it's all good. I wasn't upset, and I thought it was some of the best constructive criticism I've received. Having said that... you are extremely thoughtful to write again to clarify, and I thank you. Oh, and I'm delighted that your little guy liked the apple strudel!! I wish my daughter was as accepting of my recipes as other kids seem to be - she is p-i-c-k-y!! I still give her what we eat, but man, it drives me batty! Oh, and thank you even more for your comment about my hard work and that it helps you and others. Wow, that is very meaningful to me. Thanks. I'll stop rambling now! :)

Congratulations Dreena! This is absolutely fabulous! Your cookbook Vive Le Vegan is my absolute favourite cook book. I really appreciate the way you cook with whole foods. I would love some cupcake recipes!

You inspired me to create my own food blog I absolutely adore cooking.

I just bought vive and love it and am exxcited by the thought of a new book, i am all for easy quick recipes as most vegan recipes are long and drawn out and unecessary, i use your book and the how it all vegan girls books the most. My main comment is to include more tomatoless sauces and lots of spreads, loaves and burgers that do not contain soy, oh and more bean and grain salads. There are great sauces to be made with carrots and beets with a bit of added red wine vinegar that resemble tomato sauce but a bit sweeter for those of us that tomatoes cause sever heartburn. I have one recipe but, i bet you could make a really great one that i would be most appreciative of, just basic, but fantastic, no curry or anything, biy am i picky or what. I will keep trying the recipes from vive and look froward to the new book. Keep up the good work.